Quantum size microcrystals grown using organometallic vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract

Needle-shaped quantum size microcrystals as thin as 10 nm have been selectively grown by employing reduced pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxy using trimethylgallium and arsine as source materials. The microcrystals grown within a SiO2 window area have their growth axes along the [111] direction. Transmission electron diffraction analysis shows that the crystal structure of microcrystals is consistent with the zinc-blende structure of GaAs. The mechanism for growing the needle-shaped crystals is similar to a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) equilibrium phase growth model. From photoluminescence measurements at 4.2 K, it is found that the microcrystals show a very distinct spectra for free exciton and neutral acceptor-bound exciton recombinations, meaning good crystal quality.